Binders and fibers combined with flocced mineral materials and water-resistant articles made therefrom

Abstract

Disclosed are compositions of flocced mineral materials combined with fibers and/or binders. These compositions may be utilized to prepare high temperature resistant, water resistant articles. These materials are prepared by utilizing, as a starting material, a gellable layered swelled silicate that has an average charge per structural unit that ranges from about -0.5 to -1 and which contains interstitial cations which promote swelling with a source of at least one species of an exchange cation that is derived from guanidine or compounds closely related thereto.

We claim: 
     
       1. A flocced mineral material which comprises (1) a binder and (2) a swelled layer silicate gel that has an average charge per structural unit that ranges from about -0.5 to about -1, said silicate containing at least some interstitial cations that have the formula [R 1  C(R 2 )R 3  ]+ wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are independently selected from NH 2  and CH 3  ; provided, however, that at least two or more of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  are NH 2  but further providing that one or more of the hydrogen atoms of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3  may instead be a substitutent selected from: a C 1  to C 5  alkyl, a C 2  to C 5  alkenyl and a C 2  to C 5  alkynyl wherein these substituents may be linked to form one or more rings which may be saturated, unsaturated or aromatic; and further, provided that the silicate is a water swelling body of (a) vermiculite, (b) mica, or (c) a mixture of vermiculite and mica. 
     
     
       2. A material as described in claim 1 wherein the binder is a polymer. 
     
     
       3. A material as described in claim 2 wherein the polymer is a latex. 
     
     
       4. A material as described in claim 2 wherein the polymer is a resin selected from the group consisting of phenolic resin and melamine-formaldehyde resin. 
     
     
       5. A material as described in claim 3 wherein the latex is selected from the group consisting of: carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene, polyvinylidene, chloride, polystyrene, styrene-butadiene latex, vinyl chloride latex, carboxylated butadiene styrene latex, fluoronated ethylene-propylene latex, acrylic latex, and tetrafluoroethylene latex. 
     
     
       6. The material of claim 1 made by a process wherein the binder was combined with a suspension of the body of (a) vermiculite, (b) mica, or (c) a mixture of vermiculite and mica followed by an ion exchange reaction which placed the interstitial cations into the said body, thereby causing silicate flocculation. 
     
     
       7. The material as described in claim 2 wherein the polymer is selected from: polyamide, polyamide-imides, polyetherimide, polysiloxanes, polyaryl sulfones, polyether sulfones, polyether-imide, polyphenylene oxide, poly carbonates, polyacrylate, polyphenylene sulfide, polyether keytone, polybutalyene terafalate, polyethylene, polyethylene terephalate, polypropylene, polypropylene terephalate, polyacrylate, and polyesters. 
     
     
       8. A material as described in claim 2 which also contains a fibrous material made from polybenzimidazole. 
     
     
       9. The material of claim 1 which also contains a fibrous material. 
     
     
       10. The material of claim 9 wherein the fibrous material is made from a substance selected from the group consisting of: carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene, polyvinylidene chloride, polystyrene, polystyrene butadiene, polyvinyl chloride, carboxylated polybutadiene styrene, fluoronated polymers such as fluoronated polypropylene, fluoronated polyethylene, and fluoronated copolymers of polyethylene and propylene, polyamide, polyamide-imides, polyether-imides, polyaryl sulfone, polyether sulfone, polyether-imide, polyphenylene oxide, polycarbonates, polybenzimidazole, polyacrylates, polyphenylene sulfide, polyesthers, polyacrylate, poly-phenyls, polyaramids, and polyacetates. 
     
     
       11. The material of claim 9 wherein the fibrous material is made of material selected from the group consisting of: silicone, boron, carbon, ceramic, glass, and metal. 
     
     
       12. A material as described in claim 1 wherein the binder is an organic oligomer. 
     
     
       13. A material as described in claim 1 wherein the binder is an epoxy. 
     
     
       14. A flocced mineral material which comprises: (1) fibrous material in a form selected from the group consisting of: a woven substrate, a non-woven substrate and loose fibers; and (2) a swelled layer silicate gel that has an average charge per structural unit that ranges from about -0.5 to about -1.0, said silicate containing at least some interstitial cations that have the formula [R1C(R2)R3]+, wherein R1, R2, and R3 are independently selected from NH 2  and CH 3 , provided, however, that at least two or more of R1, R2, and R3 are NH 2 , but further providing that one or more of the hydrogen atoms of R1, R2, and R3 may instead be a substituent selected from: a C 1  to C 5  alkyl, a C 2  to C 5  alkenyl and a C 2  to C 5  alkynyl wherein these substituents may be linked to form one or more rings which may be saturated, unsaturated or aromatic; and further, provided that the silicate is a water swelling body of (a) vermiculite (b) mica, or (c) a mixture of vermiculite and mica, provided however, that the fibrous material was combined with a suspension of the body of (a) vermiculite, (b) mica, or (c) a mixture of vermiculite and mica, followed by an ion exchange reaction which placed the interstitial cations into the said body, thereby causing flocculation of the silicate.   
     
     
       15. The material of claim 14 wherein the fibrous material is made from a substance selected from the group consisting of: carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene, polyvinylidene chloride, polystyrene, polystyrene butadiene, polyvinyl chloride, carboxylated polybutadiene styrene, fluorinated polymers such as fluorinated polypropylene, fluorinated polyethylene, and fluorinated copolymers of polyethylene and propylene; polyamide, polyamide-imide, polyether-imides, polyaryl sulfone, polyether sulfone, polyether-imide, polyphenylene oxide, polycarbonates, polybenzimidazole, polyacrylates, polyphenylene sulfide, polyesters, polyacrylate, poly-phenyls, polyaramids, and polyacetates. 
     
     
       16. The material of claim 3 made by a process wherein the binder was combined with a suspension of the body of (a) vermiculite, (b) mica, or (c) a mixture of vermiculite and mica followed by an ion exchange reaction which placed the interstitial cations that have the formula previously indicated into the said body, said ion exchange reaction causing flocculation of both the latex and the silicate. 
     
     
       17. The material of claim 12 wherein the organic oligomer is an epoxy and is present in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 80% by weight. 
     
     
       18. The material of claim 1 wherein at least some interstitial cations are formed from a member selected from the group consisting of: guanidine, aminoguanidine, diaminoguanidine, methylguanidine, tetramethylguanidine, melamine, 2-aminopyridine, and 2,6-diaminopyridine. 
     
     
       19. The material of claim 3 wherein at least some interstitial cations are formed from a member selected from the group consisting of: guanidine, aminoguanidine, diaminoguanidine, methylguanidine, tetramethylguanidine, melamine, 2-aminopyridine, and 2,6-diaminopyridine. 
     
     
       20. The material of claim 6 wherein at least some interstitial cations are formed from a member selected from the group consisting of: guanidine, aminoguanidine, diaminoguanidine, methylguanidine, tetramethylguanidine, melamine, 2-aminopyridine, and 2,6-diaminopyridine. 
     
     
       21. The material of claim 9 wherein at least some interstitial cations are formed from a member selected from the group consisting of: guanidine, aminoguanidine, diaminoguanidine, methylguanidine, tetramethylguanidine, melamine, 2-aminopyridine, and 2,6-diaminopyridine. 
     
     
       22. The material of claim 12 wherein at least some interstitial cations are formed from a member selected from the group consisting of: guanidine, aminoguanidine, diaminoguanidine, methylguanidine, tetramethylguandine, melamine, 2-aminopyridine, and 2,6-diaminopyridine. 
     
     
       23. The material of claim 16 wherein at least some interstitial cations are formed from a member selected from the group consisting of: guanidine, aminoguanidine, diaminoguanidine, methylguanidine, tetramethylguanidine, melamine, 2-aminopyridine, and 2,6-diaminopyridine.